If you’re looking for the Alaska Secretary of State business search, note that Alaska is different: business entities are registered with the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing in the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, not a Secretary of State. Its free entity search is where you check whether a business name is taken.
A name is available if it is distinguishable from every entity, reserved name and registered business name on the Division’s records. You can hold an available name for 120 days with a $25 business name reservation. Searching alone doesn’t hold it.
Updated October 2026.
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Best LLC Formation Services in Alaska (2026)
If you’d rather not handle forming your LLC once your name is clear in Alaska yourself, these are the services we recommend, in order. The table compares price and what’s included.
| Rank | Provider | Best for | Price | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | Forming an LLC with the agent, EIN and annual report included | $199/year + state fee at cost | LLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing |
| 2 | AK Registered Agent.org | Alaska registered agent service only | $99/year | $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
| 3 | Alaska Registered Agent.co | Alaska registered agent service only | $99/year | in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
1. Mainstay Filing
Mainstay Filing is our top pick in Alaska. It costs $199/year + state fee at cost and covers lLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing. The price stays the same every year, with no add-on menu.
2. AK Registered Agent.org
AK Registered Agent.org is a Alaska registered agent service at $99/year. It provides $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
3. Alaska Registered Agent.co
Alaska Registered Agent.co is a Alaska registered agent service at $99/year. It provides in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
Alaska business names at a glance
| Topic | Alaska rule or fee (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Agency | Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing (Corporations Section), Juneau |
| Search tool | Search entities on the Division’s website (free) |
| Name standard | “Distinguishable” on the Division’s records (3 AAC 16.120) |
| Name reservation | $25, exclusive use for 120 days, renewable only twice (Form 08-559) |
| DBA / business name registration | Optional; $25 filing fee (Form 08-557) |
| Business license | Separate statewide license through the Division’s Business Licensing Section |
| LLC Articles of Organization | $250 (Form 08-484, online or PDF) |
| Biennial report | $100, due January 2 every two years |
| Full formation costs | See Mainstay Filing’s Alaska LLC cost guide |
How to check business name availability in Alaska
The Division keeps one database for corporations, LLCs, partnerships, reserved names and registered business names. Searching it is the fastest way to see whether your idea is open.
Step 1: Open the Division’s entity search
Go to the Alaska corporations database search. No account or fee is needed.
Step 2: Search the distinctive words
Enter the key words of your proposed name and leave off “LLC,” “Inc.” or “Corporation.” Searching “Kenai Ridge” surfaces near matches that an exact search for “Kenai Ridge Lodging LLC” could miss.
Step 3: Look at the record type and status
Open any close match to see its type and status. An active entity, an unexpired reservation and a current business name registration all count against your name.
Step 4: Apply Alaska’s distinguishability test
Compare your name to the closest results using the rules below. Alaska’s standard is looser than many states’, so a name that would be rejected elsewhere can pass here.
Step 5: Reserve or file
If the name looks open, either reserve it for 120 days or form the entity right away. The Division makes the final decision when it reviews the filing.
Alaska’s “distinguishable” name test
Alaska law asks whether a name is distinguishable on the record, not whether it is “confusingly” or “deceptively” similar. The standard is defined in regulation 3 AAC 16.120(a)(1), and the Division explains it on its distinguishable business name page. Under that guidance, a name is generally treated as distinguishable when it:
- differs from an existing name by at least one letter or numeral;
- uses a different key word; or
- puts the same key words in a different order.
Two practical cautions. First, entity endings such as LLC versus Inc. don’t separate two names. Second, passing the state’s test doesn’t protect you from a trademark claim, so a one-letter difference from a well-known brand is still risky.
Other rules apply to the name itself:
- An LLC name needs an LLC designator (for example “Limited Liability Company” or “LLC”), and a corporation needs a corporate word such as “Corporation,” “Incorporated” or an abbreviation.
- A reserved name or a registered business name (DBA) must not include a corporate indicator such as Inc., LLC or LP, and it cannot suggest the business is already incorporated.
- Names implying a regulated activity, such as banking or insurance, may need approval from the relevant state regulator.
How to reserve a business name in Alaska
Under AS 10.35.010–.020, anyone planning to start a business, or to rename an existing one, can reserve a name. The Division’s New Business Name Reservation (Form 08-559) sets out the terms:
- Fee: $25, nonrefundable.
- Length: exclusive use of the name for 120 days.
- Renewals: allowed only twice, and each renewal must include a statement of intent to start a business.
- Format: leave the corporate indicator off the name you reserve.
If you reserve a name and then want to form the entity under it, the Division suggests submitting the cancellation of the reservation together with the formation filing so there is no gap in which someone else could take the name.
Search trademarks, domains and social handles too
The Division’s database only shows Alaska filings. Before settling on a name, check the federal trademark register with the USPTO trademark search. A registered mark can block your use of a name nationwide, even if Alaska accepts the entity filing.
Next, make sure customers can find you online under the same name. Run the name through Namechk to check domains and social media usernames in one pass. If the name is crowded, the business name generator suggests alternatives you can test against the Alaska search.
We created a tool that makes it easy.
Registering a DBA (business name) in Alaska
Alaska doesn’t use the term “fictitious name.” Instead, a sole proprietor, partnership or entity that trades under a name other than its legal name can file a Business Name Registration with the Corporations Section.
- Form and fee: NEW Business Name Registration (Form 08-557), $25 nonrefundable filing fee.
- What it does: under AS 10.35.040, registration gives exclusive rights to the name on the Division’s records, and the holder may go to court to stop someone using a name that isn’t distinguishable from it.
- Name rules: no corporate indicators (Inc., LLC, Corporation and so on). An entity doesn’t need to register its own legal name.
- Who signs: the owner; for an entity-owned business, an authorized signer on record such as an LLC member or corporate president.
Business licensing works separately. The registration form itself notes that Alaska’s business licensing law (AS 43.70) doesn’t stop the state from issuing several business licenses under the exact same name. That is why the exclusive-rights registration exists. Check the Business Licensing Section for your license requirements.
After the search: forming your Alaska business
With a clear name, the remaining steps are straightforward. Our Alaska LLC guide walks through them, and the Alaska start-a-business guide covers other structures.
- File formation documents: Articles of Organization for an LLC (Form 08-484, $250) online through the Corporations Section.
- Name a registered agent with a physical Alaska address. Formation services such as Mainstay Filing include one with the filing; our Alaska registered agent guide explains the requirements.
- Get a state business license from the Business Licensing Section before you start operating.
- Apply for an EIN from the IRS at no cost.
FAQs
Does Alaska have a Secretary of State business search?
Not under that name. In Alaska, businesses register with the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing in the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. Its free online entity search is the official place to look up Alaska corporations, LLCs, reserved names and registered business names, and it is what people usually mean by the Alaska Secretary of State business search.
How much does it cost to reserve a business name in Alaska?
An Alaska business name reservation costs $25 and gives exclusive use of the name for 120 days. The reservation can be renewed only twice, and each renewal must include a statement that you intend to start a business. Leave entity designators such as LLC or Inc. off the reserved name, and cancel the reservation when you file your formation documents.
What makes a business name distinguishable in Alaska?
Alaska uses a distinguishable-on-the-record test under 3 AAC 16.120. According to the Division’s guidance, a name generally qualifies if it differs by at least one letter or numeral, uses a different key word, or reorders the key words of an existing name. Entity endings alone, such as LLC versus Inc., don’t make two names different.
Do I need to register a DBA in Alaska?
Alaska’s Business Name Registration is optional, but it gives exclusive rights to the name on the Division’s records and lets you seek a court order against someone using an indistinguishable name. The filing fee is $25 using Form 08-557. Without it, the state can issue business licenses to several businesses under the exact same name.
Does an Alaska business license protect my business name?
No. Alaska’s business licensing law doesn’t prevent the state from issuing multiple business licenses with the exact same name. Name protection on the state’s records comes from forming an entity, reserving a name or filing a Business Name Registration with the Corporations Section. Federal trademark registration is a separate layer of protection.
Is a name available if it doesn’t appear in the Alaska search?
It is likely available, but not guaranteed. The Division makes the final decision when it reviews your reservation or formation filing, and another company may still hold trademark rights in the name. Check the USPTO trademark database and domain availability before you file, and reserve the name if you aren’t ready to form the business yet.
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